The Replacement
by RoastedPorkchop
Summary: His fiancée and her best friend ran away, carrying with them a secret he was not made aware of. Six years later, Sawada Tsunayoshi bumps into a carbon-copy of himself whose mother is Miura Haru, the best friend of his ex-fiancée. Will this child be the glue that will repair the Vongola's bonds, or will he serve to ruin it further instead? Will love have a second chance for them?


**Me: Hi! I decided to revise this fanfic because I wasn't satisfied with the way I wrote it. So, to my previous readers, I'm sorry for not updating. To new readers, welcome!**

 **I hope you enjoy this fanfic!**

 **Summary (full):** His fiancée and her best friend ran away from the Famiglia, carrying with them a secret he was not made aware of. Six years later, Sawada Tsunayoshi bumps into a carbon-copy of himself whose mother is none other than Miura Haru, the missing best friend of his equally missing ex-fiancée. Will this child be the glue that will repair the Vongola's bonds, or will he serve to ruin it further instead? And will love have a second chance for them?

 **Pairing/s:** 2786, 2795

 **Disclaimer:** Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Amano Akira. I only own this story, and the Ocs I decide to add here.

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

- _Then_ -

' _Then' was a time of peace – where they had nothing much to worry about other than the countless paperwork constantly flooding their desks._

' _Then' was when the picture by the window had twelve people in it, smiling at the cameraman with bright, burning eyes._

' _Then' was when he could hear their laughter. 'Then' was when he saw their smiles._

' _Then' was then._

* * *

 _They were fifteen – close to sixteen – and everything was simple. A crush was mistaken for love, and they believed that their love would last._

* * *

He used to only be ' _that Dame boy_ ' or ' _that boy_ '. Never did he think that he would grow past his average life of being bullied for having the lowest grade and the least physical ability. He was so used to this everyday routine that he just gave up hope that things would ever change for the better.

At least, until _he_ came – Reborn, the world's greatest hitman, or so he says. ( _"Watch it, Dame Tsuna." "HIEEE!")_

He had honestly thought that being dragged into the _Mafia_ , of all things, was bad. Surely, nothing good could possibly come out of being involved in it.

That was where he was wrong, and he was thankful for being wrong.

First of all, he met his family – a real family he could have, regardless of whether or not they were related by blood. He met his musically-talented right-hand man and his athletic left-hand man who were practically his brothers. He gained a shy sister who was actually quite artistically talented, along with her 'twin brother' who enjoyed mocking him, but he had his moments.

He even practically adopted the boy who liked cow suits, the boy who ranked people, and the Chinese girl with some serious martial arts moves into his biological family. He also didn't forget about the perverted doctor who could pass as a distant uncle, and the gorgeous pinkette whose cooking could quite literally kill people.

More importantly, he became the brother of a very enthusiastic boxer and by default, the brother of the boxer's sister and her best friends.

Still, he knew that he felt a little more for Sasagawa Kyoko, who he had had a very serious crush on since the first time he met her. What was there not to like about her? She had silky orange hair, the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen, a pleasant voice with a laugh that sounded like chimes. She was perfect, yet he knew she wouldn't ever like him back.

How could anyone love a Dame like him anyways?

(That was where he was wrong. Did he never notice the equally beautiful brunette who always gazed at him with love and admiration, who made sure to cook his meals to perfection, and who loved his company so much? Did he never notice the way she looked at him, the way she just seemed to _love_ him?)

So, it was quite a miracle when it happened. It was Christmas, and the Famiglia were celebrating it in their mansion in France. There was music, and there was quite a lot of high-class food. Everyone was enjoying themselves.

And he wasn't sure if it was the wine Xanxus (who was practically his cousin) made him taste, or if he was really just feeling confident, but he had confessed to her right in the middle of the ballroom. He remembered closing his eyes gently, preparing himself for the rejection he was expecting; he wasn't expecting the feel of her soft, pink lips on his cheek as she giggled and blushed nervously, telling him that she liked him, too.

Then came the second great thing that was caused by the Mafia – he had gained the girl he had always wanted, and he was more than happy. He had finally gotten his one, true love.

The Famiglia were happy for him – happy that he was happy, amused that they were free from all his moping about whenever Kyoko would hang out with another boy that was not in the Famiglia.

They respected his decision. Truly, they did.

Still, it didn't stop a few from being disappointed, although their carefully crafted masks concealed their true thoughts and feelings about it.

How could Tsuna, with his famed Hyper Intuition, not realize that someone standing by the railings of the upper floor of the balcony was trying hard not to cry her heart out at the scene; not realize the fake, cheerful smile she put on whenever she saw them together; not realize that her heart was breaking a little more inside?

* * *

 _She was fifteen and madly in love. She thought she had a chance._

* * *

She had loved him for so long. True, she had initially disliked him because of her misconception of his relation and actions towards the little baby with the oversized fedora, but that quickly disappeared when he saved her, when she got to know him.

Though their conversations and interactions in their middle school years were quite brief compared to the present, it was through those daily conversations and interactions that she found herself falling more and more for him.

She knew her best friend liked the same guy, and they respected each other's feelings for him, but even Haru knew when a crush was turning hopeless.

She was not oblivious to the way he looked at Kyoko, like she was the only girl in the world, like nothing else mattered. She was not oblivious to the way he and Kyoko stole glances at each other every now and then, and blushing when they were caught.

She was not oblivious to the fact that she had no chance with him. Still, her optimism kept her going.

And it was that optimism that allowed her to wait and get hurt by the confession at the party.

She should have moved on a long time ago, but she couldn't. How could she when she was oh, so sure that he was the one for her, the boy she shouldn't let go of?

Regardless, she placed a bright smile on her face, hoping that no one would notice the puffiness of her eyes, for the sake of her best friend and crush's happiness, and for the sake of trying to move on.

* * *

 _He thought everything would be fine. He thought everything was alright._

 _He was wrong._

* * *

It was the day before _the_ day – their special day, the day where she would officially be his.

He was nervous, but that was understandable. He was also excited – he was finally, _finally_ , marrying the girl of his dreams! How could he not be happy?

As he paced about in his office, where he was told – _forced,_ ordered – by Reborn to wait, he glanced at the single, framed picture on his desk. There they all were, smiling at the cameraman.

He remembered that day very well. Hayato was arguing with Takeshi, as always, although it was more like Takeshi trying to convert Hayato to the religion that praised the baseball god, while Hayato refused and retaliated by saying that the UMAs would kill him if he did so. Kyoya was being his emo-self in the sidelines, ignoring Mukuro's taunts while Chrome tried to stop Mukuro from provoking Kyoya. The kids were fighting over the last piece of grape candy, and the other girls were trying to calm them down. And there he was at the center, laughing at their antics, and he felt free, complete, and just _so happy._

More importantly, everything was fine.

They were at peace.

There was no Varia to come fight them for the Vongola Rings (and he was happy they finally came to friends, or at least, he thought of them as both family and friends. He wasn't entirely sure if they saw him as more than a colleague or an ally, though, but he was sure that Xanxus saw him as a tiny, little animal. The 'tiny' remark did make his eye twitch, and though he did gain a growth spurt, most of his Famiglia still towered over him), no Millefiore to make a mess of things, no Shimon Famiglia to fight (he was happy they weren't fighting anymore. He really liked Enma… as a friend!), and no Arcobaleno trials to worry over anymore.

They were fine.

But, all good things come to an end. Before he could even go to the altar, he had seen her giggling away with Haru; had come to talk to his future wife, and then he didn't know how, but they ended up fighting and shouting, and the wedding was cancelled for the day.

His Hyper Intuition was ringing warning bells in his head, but he was so out of it because of their fight that he didn't notice.

The next day, Sasagawa Kyoko and Miura Haru were reported missing from their rooms. Clothes were thrown haphazardly onto their beds, things scattered across the floor. He had initially assumed that they were kidnapped, but Bianchi had shaken her head sadly. Reborn had informed him: the mess wasn't something produced by a struggle – it was something produced by someone trying to run away.

He was left broken – devastated. How could one fight… one _measly, stupid_ fight result in this?

He contacted all their Allies, sent himself and his Guardians to search for them, but even with the best kind of technology that they had on their hands, they could not be found.

The search lasted four years before he finally decided to stop and try to move on.

* * *

 _The photo with all twelve of them was then placed in a drawer, long forgotten and buried under countless papers filled with random doodles and notes, buried under spare paperwork._

 _A new picture sat on his desk, but only had ten people in it._

 _They were smiling, but he knew that they were simply forced smiles in an effort to pretend that everything was alright, that they were alright._

 _He doubted that they would ever smile as brightly as they did six years ago._

* * *

 **Six Years Later…**

* * *

She was contented with her life. Okay, so maybe she didn't really have high-paying jobs, nor was she able to travel abroad whenever she wanted like she used to (although she only did that twice with her… friends), but the two-bedroom apartment that smelled of lavender, the tiny kitchen where she spent numerous nights trying out new recipes, the living room that had seen and heard much happiness and laughter had become her home. Her son, who was sleeping upstairs in his bedroom, her beautiful son, had become her home, too.

So while she couldn't enjoy the so-called luxuries in life, she loved her life as it was now. She wouldn't trade anything for it – not for money, not for love, and not for the world.

She was humming to herself as she flipped the pancakes on the pan, setting the cooked ones on the white plate next to her. It was her son's first day in the first grade, and she wanted to make his day extra special by making his favorite: chocolate chip pancakes.

Once she was finished, she placed the plate of pancakes at the center of the brown, square table behind her. She then sat down on a nearby chair and sighed, glancing out the window. Not only was it her son's first day at something new, but it was her first day, as well. She had been promoted yesterday, and was now a senior costume maker at the café she worked at, and it certainly paid more than her other job as a part-time assistant at the daycare.

She rested her chin on her right hand. She hoped the pay would be enough for her to be able to buy something for her son. It had been too long since she had given him a special present.

The sound of light but familiar footsteps interrupted her train of thought as she glanced at the doorway of the kitchen and saw her son there with slightly ruffled hair, yawning cutely as he waddled towards her.

"Good morning, Kaa-san!" he said cheerfully, launching himself at her.

She smiled as the brown haired boy hugged her waist, giving her a sunny smile. She ignored the slight pang in her heart as a part of her recalled that someone else had that familiar smile.

"Good morning, Natsu-chan!" she responded cheerfully, patting his head and ushering him towards his seat, placing some pancakes onto his plate. "Are you excited for your first day of school?"

The boy nodded eagerly as he bit into his first pancake. "I am! I want to make a lot of friends, too!"

"I'm sure you will, Natsu," she said. Of course, he would. Her Natsu was very charismatic – reminding her once more of someone else. "Now, go on and eat your pancakes. Mama has to make a phone call."

"Alright, Kaa-san!" Natsu replied, sitting in the chair across her and gobbling down a pancake.

She chuckled at her son's antics, and went to the living room to make her call. After a few rings, someone had picked up. "Yo."

She laughed at his lazy voice. Then again, when was he never lazy? "Good morning, Mi-kun."

"What do you want? Geez, I was still sleeping," 'Mi-kun' grumbled. She heard him get up, presumably from the couch again, and go through some papers. She stifled a laugh. He had probably fallen asleep again instead of replying to his numerous fangirls.

"Maa, maa, sorry, Mi-kun, but are you free later?" she asked, tightening her hold on the phone unconsciously out of worry.

"Why? If it's a date you want, too bad. The answer's no."

"It's not a date I'm asking for, silly boy," she giggled. He was always joking around like that, even though they were related. She had learned long ago to never take him seriously. Besides, it just creeped her out if she ever did go on a date with him. That was something she'd rather not think about. "It's just… I might have to do some overtime at work, and…"

"You need someone to pick Natsu up, huh?"

"Yes," she replied. She wasn't surprised that he figured it out so easily. He was always smart – as smart as she was, possibly more. If he had ever been at Midori with her years ago, and if he had been female, he would have easily risen to the top.

"Alright. I'll be there. I have the key to your place anyways." Of course, he did. She trusted him with Natsu. Honestly, he was probably one of the _only_ people she'd leave her son alone with.

"Thank you so much, Mi-kun," she said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well, duh. I'm your favorite cousin."

She smiled, knowing that the statement was actually true and quite backed up. "Yes, and you're my only cousin. Thanks, again. Bye, Mi-kun."

"Whatever… Bye, Haru."

The call ended and Haru chuckled. "He never did change."

"Kaa-san, I'm done!"

She turned around and saw Natsu, all dressed up and ready for school. She gave him a proud smile and hugged him tight. "Oh, you're so responsible, Natsu! I'm so proud of you!"

"I learned from the best, Kaa-san!" he said, giving her a cheeky grin.

She laughed and handed him the backpack that was resting on the couch next to them. "Of course, you did. Alright, let's get you to school, Natsu."

"Okay, Kaa-san!"

And so the mother and son pair went out of the house and headed to the nearby school, unaware of the pair of beady eyes that watched them from afar.

* * *

 **Me: Well, that's that. I hope you guys like this edited version more. :))**

 **I hope you leave a review, as well! ;) Reviews really help me improve my writing and story-telling :D**

 **Originally Published: November 20, 2015**

 **Updated: May 24, 2017**


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